Accumulator



Dec. 1, 1953 Filed March 22, 1952 F. MARK 2,661,155 ACCUMULATOR-CARRIAGE AND DRIVE-SHAFT INTERLOCK FOR MINIATURE-TYPE CALCULATING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet l lNVENTORZ FRAHL MARK Dec. 1, 1953 F. MARK 2,661,155

ACCUMULATOR-CARRIAGE AND DRIVE-SHAFT INTERLOCK FOR MINIATURE-TYPE CALCULATING MACHINES Filed March 22, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEHTOR! Fmmz. MARK Patented Dec. 1, 1953 ACCUMULATOR;CARRIAGE AND' naive- SHAFT, INTERLOCK on MINIATURE; TYPE CALCULATING -MACH-INES Franz Mark, Perchtoldsdorf near Vienna Aus: trial, assigno r to Curt Herzstark, Feldkirch,

Vorarlberg, Austria Application March 22, 1952, Serial No. 278m (llaimspriority, application Austria. March 28, 1951 Claims. (01. 235 -63) The present invention relates to miniature type calculating machines of'the type having a centrally' mounted rotatable drive member for actuation of the countingmechanism. In computing machines of this type the accumulator is' located in a rotatable counter carriage which is axially movable between a coupled position'in which the accumulator in the counter'carriage registers values when the drive member isrotated'; and an uncoupled position permitting free rotation of the counter carriage for shifting of the same through decades.

The essentialfeatureof the invention resides in that for mutually" interlocking the drive memher and the counter carriage'the machine'has incorporated in it a locking device" operated by the drive element andlocking the counter car riage when the'counter or accumulator iscoupled. This locking device'on the one hand prevents the rotation of the" drive member when the counter is uncoupled", and" on the' other hand prevents-the uncoupling of the counterwhen the drive member has been turned out of its zero position. v r

The interlock mechanism according to the present invention mainly comprises apivoted arm which is turned upon rotation of the drive member into a lockingposition which'the arm engages the counter carriage at an outwardly located ring portion ther'eof'whereby axial movement of the counter-carriageto apositionin which the accumulator" is uncoupled'from thesetting mechanism isprevented. On the-other hand the rim of thecounter carriage prevents return of the pivoted arm to'its 'locking position while the counter carriage its-uncoupled position. i V

In the drawing an embodiment era-miniaturetype calculating machine constructed according to the invention-is shown by way" of example with its parts most essential for" an understanding' of the invention,

Fig. l showing the miniature-type: calculating machine on'a greatly enlarged-scale partly insection and partly in elevation to expose the components of thelockingdevice, the drive crank being shown in norma'l position: I

Fig; 2- illustratesthe' calculatingmachine I in a' top plan view, partly-:- in cross section, I along the plane of the lockingbolt of thelock-ing device:

Fig. 3 isalso'a t'op plan view showing half ofthe machine, partly: in cross section showing the locking bolt in looking position. Finally,

Fig; 4 is a partial long-itudinal section throughthe machine with the lockinge device' blocked and the counter uncoupled:

The miniature=type calculating machine compr1ses a cylindrical casing 21, in which the drive member I, formed by several toothed segments, is centrally mounted'by means of the shaft 2". The toothed segmentsjof'the drive member combmeto form a' stepped roller, which has arranged m a circle around it in the cylindric casing the setting mechanism The cylindric casing 27 has mounted at its t'opth'e counter carriage 28; which is circular and centrically' surrounds" theshaft 2 passing through it. The: shaft 2 has at its upper end the drive crank 3;,by means of which the stepped roller, constituting the drive member I, is turned. The setting mechanism comprises a number ofshafts" 4; which are arranged ina circle aroundthe stepped roller and parallelto the shaft 2, and which are rotatably' mounted in the'casing 21' at two points and carry a setting wheel 5 each. The drawingshows only one shaft 4 with one setting wheel'5. The'setting handles 29 for the setting wheels v5 and '.the casing slots 30 for axially displacing the setting wheels. 5 are visible inFig. 1'- ofthe drawing. Each shaft 4* has mounted atitsj top end a crown wheel. 6 in mesh with a'pinion T'of the counter mounted in thecounter ca'rriag 28.." The pinion' 1 islfirmly connected to anumeral drum 8 and together with the same is mounted for free rotation on a shaft, which is fixed in a radial "recess Illof the counter body" H by means 1 oflscre'ws l2. The counter body ll isarrangedwithin thecounter carriage 28; Attheir"free" outer ends the. shafts 9 diverging in theformofi'a'star have fixed to them the enclosing'ringi l3 'of'tlie counter carriage 28; which is rotatable about the central shaft 2. During the uncoupling and turning of the counter carriage: the enclosing; ring [3" forms a handle therefor and iscontrblledby a locking device, which is operated. by the drive member I; This locking device. has a one-armedlocking bolt-.14; which ismounted at'. the upper end of a shaft I Bniduritedexteriiallly, in the flange l5 of: the body I 6 of the machine-and in the :bottomplate I! of th elmachine casingl'l,v Withits free'loclting end thetbolt- I t extends through 1 a slot' it of the "cylindrical casing' wa'll 20"with smallplay; The locking; recess associated with the 1 locking bolt l 4 is .fornidhy-iari annular groove 2! which is provided? on the -insideof the enclosing ring l3 of the counter carriageyand" inthe coupled position of the counter is in register with the slot' 19' or: the ca-sing' wall 20; The-shaft lfcr thelocking bolt M protrudes w'ith its'lowe'r end below the bottom plate 11* and caries seats end: a: rocker; arm 2'2, to" the free end of which a roller 23 is rotatably fixed. The rocker arm 22 is loaded by a spring 24 mounted on the shaft l8 and urging the arm 22 continuously against the periphery of a circular cam 25 fixed to the lower end of the drive shaft 2 of the drive member I. This cam 25 has at one point of its periphery a shallow recess 26, which receives the roller 23 of the arm 22 when the crank 3 is in normal, i. e., zero position. After each full turn of the drive crank 3 the roller 23 of the rocker arm 22 engages the recess of the cam 25 whereas in any other position of the cam the rocker arm 22 is kept out of its engaged position. Thus the rocker arm 22 and the recess 26 of the cam 25 cooperate to form a so-called zero buffer, which eliminates the need for providing a special device for this function.

When the drive crank 3 is in normal position and the counter carriage [8 in coupled position the locking bolt M is in register but not in engagement with the annular groove 2| of the enclosing ring l3, the roller 23 of the rocker lever 22 being engaged in the recess 25 of the cam 25. Thus the counter provided in the counter carriage 28 may be uncoupled freely by an axial displacement of the counter carriage out of mesh from the crown wheels 6 of the setting mechanism, the pinions l and the crown wheels 6 coming out of mesh (Fig. 4). In this position of the counter the same may be advanced by decades by turning the counter carriage. However, when the crank 3 is turned out of its zero position, the roller 23 rolling on the peripheral surface of the cam 25 will pivotally move the rocker arm 22 and the locking bolt 14 connected therewith by the shaft 18, the end of the locking bolt l4 entering into the annular groove 2| of the enclosing ring I3 of the counter carriage. When the locking bolt is in its engaged position in the groove the counter carriage is secured against axial displacement and the counter is thus locked against being uncoupled from the crown wheel 6 of the setting mechanism. When in this locking position somebody inattentively tries to uncouple the counter carriage,

the force applied in the axial direction on the enclosing ring [3 will be transmitted directly to the locking bolt H, which is supported in turn in the slot I9 of the wall 20 of the casing 21,

the moment of force being transmitted directly to the casing 20, 21 to relieve the ring. As a result, an elastic bending of the shafts 9 carrying the enclosing ring 13 of the counter carriage will be prevented even if the enclosing ring is seized roughly.

However, if the counter is to be disconnected from the setting mechanism, the crank 3 and with it the drive member I must be secured against rotation during such disconnection. To this end the inner wall surface I 3' of the enclosing ring [3 forms a stop, which when the counter members, i. e. the counter pinions I, are uncoupled, is in register with the locking bolt l4 and prevents the same from moving out of the casing slot 19. Held in its unlocked position by the wall surface l3, the locking bolt l4 holds also the rocker arm 22 and its roller 23 in the recess 26 of the cam 25 so that the latter, and with it the drive member I, shaft 2, and crank 3 are locked against rotation.

To prevent the locking device from acting unilaterally on the counter carriage 28, it is suitable to provide in accordance with Fig. 2 another locking device, which is arranged at an angle in respect of the first one and also consists of a shaft I 8, a rocker arm 22 with a roller 23, a locking bolt I 4, a spring 24, and a cam 25.

The locking devices being arranged outside the calculating mechanism, they are readily accessible and may be mounted or removed easily.

Without departing from the scope of the invention the cams 25 and rocker arms 22 might be arranged in the machine at a place other than that shown in the drawing. The cams 25 might be arranged inside the machine, e. g., between the flange [5 and the bottom plate 11. Such arrangement, however, would have the disadvantage that the shafts 4 of the setting wheels 5 must be prolonged and would bend more easily. Moreover, the length of the entire machine would be increased, which is undesirable.

I claim:

1. In a miniature-type calculating machine, a casing, a drive member shaft extending through the casing and having an end portion protruding out of the casing, a drive member mounted on said shaft for free rotation in the casing and centrally arranged in the latter, teeth on said drive member, a crank fixed to said shaft end portion, a counter carriage supported on the casing with freedom of rotation about said drive member shaft and of axial movement between a coupled and an uncoupled position and having an annular groove, a counter for a number of digits provided in said counter carriage, radial shafts provided in said counter carriage, a plurality of transmission gears the number of which correspcnds to the number of digits of the counter, said gears being rotatably mounted on said radial shafts and spaced from each other in a circle concentric with the drive member shaft, 9. setting mechanism for a plurality of digits arranged in the casing, a plurality of parallel shafts the number of which corresponds to the number of digits of the setting mechanism, said parallel shafts being mounted in the casing parallel to the drive member shaft and spaced like said transmission gears in a circle concentric with the drive member shaft, setting pinions mounted on said parallel shafts and rotatable therewith, with freedom of axial movement to throw said pinions selectively and individually in mesh with the drive member teeth, crown Wheels rigidly fixed on the parallel shafts near the upper end thereof and in mesh with said transmission gears in the coupled position of the counter carriage, a control member firmly mounted on the drive member shaft, a one-armed locking bolt arranged adjacent to said annular groove when the counter carriage is in its coupled position, means pivotally mounting said locking bolt in the casing free to move into said groove to prevent axial movement of the counter carriage out of said coupled position, a follower in engagement with said control member and operatively connected to the locking bolt to hold the latter in the groove during the whole rotation of the drive member excepting a zero position, said control member having a recess adapted to receive said follower in said zero position, and a stop on said counter carriage lying in the path of said locking bolt when the counter carriage is in said uncoupled position and adapted to engage with said locking bolt to hold said follower in said recess and prevent rotation of the drive member out of said zero position.

2. In a miniature-type calculating machine, a casing, a drive member shaft extending through the casing and having an end portion protruding out of the casing, a drive member mounted on said shaft .for'free rotation in :the'casing andcem trally arranged in the latter, teeth on said drive member, a crank fixed to said shaft end portion, 'a counter carriage supported on the casing with freedom of rotation "about said drive member shaft and of axial movement between a coupled and an uncoupled position and having an annular groove, a counter for a number of digits provided in said counter carriage, radial shafts provided in said counter carriage, a plurality of transmission gears the number of which corresponds to the number of digits of the counter, said gears being rotatably mounted on said radial shafts and spaced from each other in a circle concentric with the drive member shaft, a setting mechanism for a plurality -of digits arranged in the casing, a plurality-of parallel shafts the number of which corresponds to the number of digits of the-setting mechanism, said parallel shafts being mounted in the "casing parallel to the drive member shaft 'and spaced like said transmission gears in a circle concentric with the drive member shaft, setting pinions mounted on said parallel shafts and rotatable therewith, with freedom of axial movement to throw said pinions selectively and individually in mesh with the drive member teeth, crown wheels rigidly fixed on the parallel shafts near the upper end thereof and in mesh with said 'transmissionngear's in the coupled position of the counter carriage, a cam firmly mounted'on the drive membershaft, a locking member forming :a two-armed lever andhaving ashaft rotatably mounted in the easing and parallel to the drive member shaft, one arm of said lever constituting a rocker arm carrying adjacent to the periphery of said cam a roller, a spring connected to the rocker arm to urge its roller against the periphery of said cam, the other 'arm "of said lever constituting a looking bolt arranged adjacent to said annular groove when the counter carriage is in its coupled position and movable into said groove to prevent axial movement of said counter carriage, said cam having in its periphery a recess adapted to receive said roller in a zero position of said drive member, said cam being adapted to hold said locking member with its locking bolt during the whole rotation of said drive member excepting said zero position in said annular groove when the counter carriage is in its coupled posi- 0 tion, and a stop on said counter carriage lying in the path of said locking bolt when the counter carriage is in its uncoupled position and adapted to engage with said locking bolt to hold the locking member with its roller in said recess to prevent rotation of the drive member out of said zero position.

3. In a miniature-type calculating machine, a casing; a calculating mechanism comprising a drive member shaft extending through the casing and having an end portion protruding out of the casing, a drive member mounted on said shaft for free rotation in the casing and centrally arranged in the latter, teeth on said drive member, a crank fixed to said shaft end portion, a counter carriage supported on the casing with freedom of rotation about said drive member shaft and of axial movement between a coupled and an uncoupled position, a counter for a number of digits provided in said counter carriage, radial shafts provided in said counter carriage, a plurality of transmission gears the number of which corresponds to the number of digits of the counter, said gears being rotatably mounted on said radial shafts and spaced from each other in a circle concentric with the drive member shaft, a setting mechanism for a plurality of digits arranged in the casing, a plurality of parallel shafts thenumber of which corresponds to the number of digits of the setting mechanism, said parallel shafts being mounted in the casing, parallel to the drive member shaft and spaced like the transmission gears in a circle concentric with the drive member shaft, setting pinions mounted on said parallel shafts and rotatable therewith, with freedom of axial movement to throw said pinions selectively and individually in mesh with the drive member teeth, and crown wheels rigidly fixed on the parallel-shafts near the upper end thereof and in mesh with said transmission gears in the coupled position of the counter carriage; and looking means arranged in the casing externally of said calculating mechanism, said locking means comprising .a locking member mounted in the casing with freedom of movement between a first position in which .it .is adapted to interlock with the counter carriage in the coupled position thereof to prevent axial movement of the counter carriage out of said position, and a second position, and control means dperatively connected with the drive member and in engagement with thelocking member andadapted'to hold the same in said first position during "the whole rotation of the drive member excepting a zero position thereof, and to mesh with said locking member when the same is in its second position and the controlnieans is in saidzzero position; said :counter carriage having a stop 'lyingiin the'path'ofsaid locking member when the carriage is in its uncoupled position andeadapted to hold thesame in said second position in mesh with said control means to prevent rotation of the drive member out'ofsaid zero position.

4. In a miniature-type calculating machine, a casing having a cylindrical side wall witha slot therein, .a drive member 's'haft extending through the casing and having an 'end portion protruding out of the casing, 1a drive member mounted on said :shaft for free rotation in the "casing and centrally arranged in the latter, teeth on :said drivemembeig'a crank 'fixedto said'shaft end'portion, a counter carriage supported on the casing with freedom of rotation about said drive member shaft and of axial movement between a coupled and an uncoupled position, a counter for a number of digits provided in said counter carriage, radial shafts provided in said counter carriage, a plurality of transmission gears the number of which corresponds to the number of digits of the counter, said gears being rotatably mounted on said radial shafts and spaced from each other in a circle concentric with the drive member shaft, a setting mechanism for a plurality of digits arranged in the casing, a plurality of parallel shafts the number of which corresponds to the number of digits of the setting mechanism, said parallel shafts being mounted in the casing parallel to the drive member shaft and spaced like said transmission gears in a circle concentric with the drive member shaft, setting pinions mounted on said parallel shafts and rotatable therewith, with freedom of axial movement to throw said pinions selectively and individually in mesh with the drive member teeth, crown wheels rigidly fixed on the parallel shafts near the upper end thereof and in mesh with said transmission gears in the coupled position of the counter carriage, a cam firmly mounted on the drive member shaft, a locking member forming a two-armed lever and having a shaft rotatably mounted in the casing and parallel to the drive member shaft, one arm of said lever constituting a rocker arm carrying adjacent to the periphery of said cam a roller, 2. spring connected to the rocker arm to urge its roller against the periphery of said cam, said cam having in its periphery a recess adapted to receive said roller in a zero position of said drive member, the other arm of said lever constituting a locking bolt pivotally movable through said slot in a radial direction in respect of the drive member shaft, said counter carriage having an enclosing ring surrounding the top of the casing, said ring having a cylindrical inside surface forming a stop lying in the path of said locking member when the counter carriage is in its uncoupled position and adapted to engage with said locking bolt to hold the locking member with its roller in said recess in the cam to prevent rotation of the drive member out of said zero position, said ring having in said inside surface an annular groove in register with said locking bolt when the counter carriage is in its coupled position, said cam being adapted to hold said locking member with its locking bolt in said groove during the Whole rotation of said drive member except said zero position, when the carriage is in its coupled position, the locking bolt being disengaged from the ring when the drive member is in its zero position and the counter carriage is in its coupled position.

5. In a miniature-type calculating machine, a casing, a drive member shaft extending through the casing and having an end portion protruding out of the casing, a drive member mounted on said shaft for free rotation in the casing and centrally arranged in the latter, teeth on said drive member, a crank fixed to said shaft end portion, a counter carriage supported on the easing with freedom of rotation about said drive member shaft and of axial movement between a coupled and an uncoupled position, a counter for a number of digits provided in said counter carriage, radial shafts provided in said counter car- 'riage, a plurality of transmission gears the number of which corresponds to the number of digits of the counter, said gears being rotatably 8 mounted on said radial shafts'and spaced from each other in a circle concentric with the drive member shaft, a setting mechanism for a plurality of digits arranged in the casing, a plurality of parallel shafts the number of which corresponds to the number of digits of the setting mechanism, said parallel shafts mounted in the casing parallel to the drive member shaft and spaced like said transmission gears in a circle concentric with the drive member shaft, setting pinions mounted on said parallel shafts and rotatable therewith, with freedom of axial movement to throw said pinions selectively and individually in mesh with the drive member teeth, crown wheels rigidly fixed on the parallel shafts near the upper end thereof and in mesh with said transmission gears in the coupled position of the counter. carriage, a plurality of spaced locking means mounted in said casing spaced from said setting mechanism and equally spaced from said drive member, said locking means being actuated by said drive member upon rotation of the same to move between a carriage locking position engaging said counter carriage when the same is in said coupled position for locking said counter carriage against axial movement out of said coupled position, and a carriage releasing position releasing said counter carriage for axial movement into said uncoupled position, said locking means being held in said carriage releasing position by said counter carriage when the same is shifted to said uncoupled position, said locking means look ing said drive member against rotation when held in said carriage releasing position by said counter carriage.

FRANZ MARK.

References Cited in the file of this patent Herzstark Oct. 10, 1950 

